I adore Reformation’s lace Tiffie dress for autumn occasions, but this M&S alternative wins on price and style

While we love florals in spring/summer, winter florals just hit differently. Moodier than their warm-weather counterparts, in the latter part of the year, expect darker bases and richer colouring to usher in cooler climes. And as we scour the internet for the replacements to our best summer dresses, we came across this gorgeous autumn number from Reformation.

The Tiffie Dress is a chic little black dress peppered with a red floral print. The large rose print is scattered across the slinky dress and is a great choice if you're looking for one of the best wedding guest dresses for autumn or winter occasions. The contrast of the red and black is so striking, while the lace detail adds a suitable romantic finish.

But while this is a beautiful autumn option, it doesn't come cheap, so I've tracked down a more affordable alternative - this floral V-neck lace detail midaxi slip dress from M&S. With the same slip dress silhouette, black lace details and floral print, it offers the same look for much less – with a saving of nearly £250, it’s one of the most affordable designer lookalikes.

Shop M&S lookalike for Reformation's Tiffie Dress

As well as playing perfectly into the autumn/winter fashion colour trends 2025 with their unexpected pops of rose, both of these floral dresses are ideal occasion wear for autumn. Slip into a pair of strappy black heels and dig out your chicest faux-fur clutch to play into the autumn/winter handbag trends 2025, and you’ve got an easy and directional outfit to wear to any event.

Featuring a gentle A-line silhouette, both dresses have a bias cut slinkiness too them. Fitted around the bodice before falling into gentle A-lines. While they're fairly formal dresses, both could be dressed down for chic smart casual outfit ideas. Trying pairing one with some trending black ballet flats and a chunky cardigan for a softer feel, or add heels and a blazer for a more polished finish.

While both dresses can be styled similarly, you will find several subtle differences between the two. For starters, the M&S design features a ditsy floral print, as opposed to the larger, statement bloom print of the Reformation design. Similarly, the M&S dress has more pronounced lace trimming, while the Reformation is a little more subtle. The M&S dress is also longer than the Reformation one, with it boasting a ‘midaxi’ length. This is a just above ankle-grazing length that sits in between the mid-calf of midi dresses and the floor-grazing maxi style. Great for pairing with heels, flats or boots.

Diving deeper, the biggest difference between the two dresses is their fabric. At £278, the Reformation dress is made of Viscose. This is a lightweight, sustainable fabric that is known for its breathability and soft handle, ensuring it drapes beautifully. It's ideal for elegant silhouettes. The M&S dress is made from 100% polyester, which is not as breathable, but is used for its durability and practicality - particularly when it comes to washing.

It largely comes down to personal style choice, budget and how hard you are planning on making your dress work. The Reformation design is dry clean only, which is fine for occasional wear, but if you're looking to bolster your capsule wardrobe and truly max out on usage, the M&S, wash at 30 design certainly has its plus points. But what we do know is both are blooming marvellous.